As Per Your Request

I worked with someone who used those four words a lot. I'd shoot them an email saying "hey can you send me that thing again I can't find it" and instead of just sending it to me they'd say "as per your request, the file is attached." That's fine. I can appreciate formality. But if anyone mentions work emails in any context, I will always think "as per your request."

The reason that's the title here: it felt like the Illini fanbase requested this game. It felt like what we saw on the court checked off all of the things discussed in my group texts over the past week. Right down the line, everything was different.

A sampling: